IN THE EARLY DAYS.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17355, 17 March 1928, Page 9

IN THE EARLY DAYS.

MR COATES' EXPERIENCES A NARROW ESCAPE. Last, week T related how my mate and I had arrived at Kaikoura in time for breakfast, which by that time we were quite ready for, as we had eaten little or nothing since the previous morning. The town was not much of a place, in those days, but there were two Jiolcls. The one we went to was kept by a Yorkshire man, who told us that there were a good many of his countrymen settled in the neighbourhood, as the land was good but the great drawback was the absence of a harbour. The sea there was one mass of big rocks, so that" it was only in fine weather that Ihe small outside craft dared come near the coast on the south side, of the township. There was a fine big patch of swamp which was good land, or would have been if drained. In Ihe evening we struck a licensed ! accommodation house, in which we decided to stay the night. It was also kept, by a Yorkshire man, but. f think about the greatest boaster 1 have ever met. I think he thought that, we were after land and that he would have a cut in, but, it, was all to no purpose, for I we said good-bye to him in the morn- | ing and by 10 or 11 in the morning we struck the Clarence River at the crossing. Here we found another licensed house and a boat. kept, to ferry people across this bis river. We told the man that, we wanted to be put across, and he consented lo do so. We did not notice at first, that the man was not in a fit state to take us across, and just as we were getting into the boat, a young man came the same way we had ) come, leading two young horses. Each j or (hem had a long rope attached lo ; his neck. He wished the horses to be ! taken over, so he got into the boat and , told the ferryman to go ahead. The ferryman did for a bit until he got the | horses into the river, and seemed then \to collapse dead drunk, and we seemed

to be going down the river at a good speed. The man who had the horses soon saw the dangerous plight we were in. He came up to me and said we were.all going over the cliff if we did not do something at once. "For God's sake take hold of these ropes," he said, "while I take the oars." The ferryman, whose name was Tom Lightfoot, was by this time dead drunk, and the other man just managed to land us. He told us that another hallminute and ail would have been lost. The young man seemed to know the river and he told us that we had had a very narrow escape. That afternoon we ended our journey—that is, we arrived at Mr Tatley's home. I had a letter of introduction to him, which 1 sent in by the servant. The answer came that he would see me later, being then very busy. The whisky bottl. was sent out to Walter and myself, and wc afterwards spent a very pleasant evening.